[Freeciv-Dev] Re: (PR#14917) Patch: martian.ruleset

["Peter Schaefer" <peter.schaefer@xxxxxxxxx>]

<URL: http://bugs.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=14917 >

On 1/2/06, Daniel Markstedt <himasaram@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> <URL: http://bugs.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=14917 >
>
> Well, he [Marvin] of course deserves to be leader of the Martians more than 
> any
> Earthling who never sat his foot in space. =)
>
> But in the end, I think we'd rather avoid adding (any more) trademarked
> fictional content to the game...

Sorry if this leads me to rollback to some earlier point of the
trademark discussion, but:

Marvin is a common name, IMHO you would only violate the content of a
computer game or story if you copied a distinctive part of it - when I
hear "Marvin", I think of tHhGttG, but not that Marvin was ruler of
Mars, so it is not recognizable.

I also see no problem with using even a trademarked name inside the
game, as long as it is not the name of the game (or maybe a game mod)
itself. For example, there may be tardemarks for "Andromeda", but you
sure could still name your characters "Andromeda" if you wanted to.

(It is still wise not to use LOTR names since because the names are
invented, any one of them is distinctive)

Your collection of SciFi-writers, especially Isaac Asimov, would make
great leaders for a nation named "Foundation". I am not sure there
would be any memorable Martian leaders though who were non-fictional.

HNY